All scouts received EMS checks and no injuries were reported.
CACAPON, W.Va. — Dozens of Boy Scouts and some parents were rescued Saturday from the Cacapone River in West Virginia during a Memorial Day weekend outing after their canoe overturned and separated them..
The Capon Bridge Volunteer Fire Department said on Facebook that 28 of the 31 Scouts were rescued Saturday.
Firefighters learned that the group had climbed out of the water onto the river bank and all had been rescued. However, the group was split into two and scattered at three different locations on the river bank.
Troop 1865 member Micah Campbell said they host canoe tours every Memorial Day weekend, starting about 100 miles from Northern Virginia each year. This is what the force has been doing for the past decade. He said some parents accompanying the group also had to be rescued.
Campbell told television news station WUSA9 They entered the water and realized they were not ready for the day’s conditions, as water levels continued to rise rapidly. Some of the canoes overturned and some of the boys made it to shore, and that’s when, Campbell said, their training began.
“That’s what scouting is about,” Campbell said. “We’ve trained for it, scouts looking out for each other.”
Three rescue boats from nearby Romney and Springfield fire companies were used to transport everyone to a nearby cabin, where the boat owners allowed everyone to warm up. Cabin owner Jeffrey West helped facilitate the water rescue and continued helping the group to shore, according to Campbell. West also handed out hot cocoa and pizza to help keep everyone warm.
“You just help people, that’s what you do. I mean, if I’m sitting on the other side, I don’t want any teenage boys sitting in the rain when you ride your bike and finally find your way here,” West said. “You help people. That’s what humans do to humans. That’s all.”
All personnel were checked by EMS and no injuries were reported. The last unit was emptied around 6:30 p.m.
